Firearm construction



July 20, 1965 N. P. SHERMAN FIREARM CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledNov. 2, 1962 INVENTOR Mcuoms P y/meme ATTORNEYS y 1965 N. P. SHERMAN3,195,408

FIREARM CONSTRUCTION Filed NOV. 2 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Mam; asFlam/m waw ATTORNEYS /)x by July 20, 1965 N. P. SHERMAN FIREARMCONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 2, 1962 mm QQ mlu INVENTOR Mas044; PJHEQMAN ATTORNE Y July 20, 1965 N. P. SHERMAN FIREARM CONSTRUCTIONUnited States Patent 0 This is a continuation-in-part of applicationSerial No. 650,184, filed April 2, 1957 and application 845,947, filedOctober 12, 1959, both now abandoned.

This invention relates in general to firearms and in particular to newand useful automatic repeating type firearm including a stationarybarrel and having an elongated chamber therein longer than the cartridgewhich it uses and having a breech bolt which moves into the chamber toposition a cartridge therein for firing.

The invention also relates to another embodiment of an automaticrepeating t pe firearm having a stationary barrel in combination with anovel slide which has an extension entering into an elongated cartridgechamber.

The present invention is an improvement over firearms of this typeparticularly in the construction in which the barrel is held stationaryand the chamber is made of a greater longitudinal extent than thecartridge which is used with the firearm. The construction permits thedelivery of the full power of the burning powder gases to the bulletbefore the shell case leaves the chamber of the gun.

The powder gases effect a rapid return of the recoiling elements alongwith the shell to cause the latters ejection and to effect thepositioning of a new shell in the chamber on the return stroke. Sincethe mechanism operates with a stationary barrel, the firing accuracy ofthe gun is greatly increased over previous firearms of this character.The backward kick due to the firing of the bullet is taken up by thereciprocating slide and breech-bolt elements.

One of the major features of the invention is that the barrel is rifledfrom the forward end to the location of the cartridge chamber and thispermits positioning of the cartridge in a firing position with theforward walls of the shell case abutting against the end of the rifledportion of the barrel as well as the chamber itself. When the gun istired the bullet is projected out through the rifled portion of thebarrel while the case is retained in the slightly widened area of thecartridge chamber.

Another feature of the present firearm construction is the provision ofa magazine type handle which may be loaded through a window byretracting the spring of the magazine follower portion, withoutrequiring any withdrawal of a magazine clip. Loading of the firearm issimple easy and firing is both quick and accurate.

in a preferred first embodiment, the mechanism includes a breech boltwhich reciprocates into and out of the chamber in order to position thebullet in the chamber for firing purposes. The breech bolt has aforwardly rest position near the barrel chamber, so that firing isimmediate and does not require the releasing and forward moving actionsof the breech bolt from a tensioned rearwardly rest position, as used insome previous firearm constructions.

another embodiment of the invention, a reciprocating slide member isused in conjunction with a stationary barrel, the latter having amounting lug for fixing the barrel solid to the gun frame. A novelbreech bolt extension protrudes into the deep cartridge chamber.

According to a further feature, the slide member has a top rib addedthereto with a step in it to fill in the top of the customary ejectionport, so as to act as the magazine cartridge stop and to put thecartridge in direct line for being fed into the barrel chamber. The toprib in the July 20, 1965 ice slide also arries the front and rear sightsof the firearm. ejection port of t ie slide is cut down lower on theright side than usual, and the cartridge ejector has a new configurationto throw the shell cases out to the right, when viewed from the top ofthe firearm pointing forward, instead of up and out of the firearm.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedfirearm construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a firearm, including astationary r fle barrel portion arranged in direct alignment with acartridge chamber of greater length than the cartridge which it uses,and having a breech bolt which reciprocates into and out of the camtridge chamber during the firing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pistol having achamber of greater length than the cartridge which it uses, andincluding a reciprocating breech bolt which enters into and out of thechamber during the firing operation, and including means for loadingcartridges through an upper side window in the handle of the pistolagainst the force of a magazine spring which may be retracted by aretractor grip which extends outwardly in the handle.

it is a still further object of the invention to provide a firearmhaving a stationary rifle barrel with a chamber adapted to accommodatethe entire cartridge length, and a reciprocable slide member having abreech bolt extensicn adapted to enter into said chamber.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel ejectionport allowing the shell cases to be thrown out laterally instead ofupward from the firearm.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pistol which is simpledesign, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

it is considered the major object of the present invention to overcomethe disadvantages of the two widely known automatic s3 stems offirearms. These are the straight blow back and the moving barrel lockedto breech bolt during firing only systems. The present invention uses afixed barrel a breech bolt extension moving into the chamber itself.'herefore, as the gun is fired the heavier breech bolt and recoil springcombination allows the lighter weight bullet to move through the barrelat a faster rate of speed than the breech bolt extension which is movingrearward at the same time.

According to the present invention, the bullet leaves the barrel underfull power of the burning powder gases before the extension of theheavier breech bolt can leave the gun chamber. Thus, the inventiveembodiments of firearms perform in a better and more accurate way thanhitherto known automatic systems because the fixed barrel is deliveringa bullet at full power from the gun, as noted above.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and specific objects obtained by its use,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which there are illustrated and described preferredembodiments of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial side elevation and partial transverse section of oneembodiment of a pistol constructed in accordance with the invention;

FlG. 2 is a partial top plan view and a partial horizontal section ofthe pistol indicated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view sirnliar to FIG. 1, butindicating the breech bolt in the retracted position it assumesimmediately after firing;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the pistol of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. is a fragmentary side elevation of the opposite side of the pistolfrom that indicated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a section taken on the line 66 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a section taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the cartridge for the firearms of FIGS.17 and 9-19;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation indicating a cutoff portion ofthe breech bolt to permit by-passing of the ejector lever arm;

FIG. 10 is a partial side elevation and a partial transverse section ofanother embodiment of a pistol constructed in accordance with theinvention, taken on the line 1010 of FIG. 11, and using the cartridgeshown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the pistol indicated in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of the breech bolt extension;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary side elevation of the pistol appearing in FIGS.10 and 11;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to that of FIG. 10, butindicating the slide in the recoil position it assumes immediately afterfiring, with an empty shell case ready for ejection;

FIG. 15 is a section taken on the line 1515 of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is another section taken, in opposite direction than FIG. 15, onthe line 16-16 of FIG. 14;

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary side elevation of the other side of the pistolfrom that shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 18 is a fragmentary perspective view of the barrel; and

FIG. 19 is a top plan view, corresponding to a portion of FIG. 14, withcertain parts sectioned, and illustrating the ejection process.

Referring to the drawings in particular, the first embodiment of theinvention as illustrated in FIGS. 1-9 includes a pistol having astationary barrel, generally designated 1'1), which is aflixed to aframe portion, generally designated 12, having a pistol grip magazinehandle generally designated 14. The barrel 10 is secured to the frameportion 12 by threading it into its open end.

In accordance with one feature of the invention, the handle portion 14includes an elongated magazine chamber 16 including a spring mountedfollower member 18 which is biased upwardly by a coil spring 20.Cartridges generally designated 22 are loaded through an enlarged windowopening 24 (FIG. 4) in the side of the pistol after a magazinedepressing member or retractor grip 26 is urged downwardly in an exposedelongated slot 28 r of the handle 14 to lower the height of the member18 against the upward biasing of the spring 21 (FIG. 6). When themagazine is loaded the upper one of the cartridges 22 is urged againstthe underside of a coil spring 3% which extends around an elongatedcylindrical breech bolt generally designated 32.

The cartridge 22shown in FIG. 8 is of special design and includes ashell case portion 41 having a front portion 41a which is beveledoutwardly from a bullet nose or head portion 42, and a central bodyportion 41b of constant diameter. This constant diameter central portion41b fits into a cartridge chamber 38 as will be explained hereunder inmore detail. The cartridge 22 also includes a rear rim portion 410 ofslightly smaller diameter than the portion 4112 which is separated fromthe portion 41b by a recessed small diameter portion 41d. The rimportion 410 is sized to permit an extractor hook 78, secured to theforward end of the breech bolt 32, to move around the end of the rimportion 410 when the cartridge is placed in the cartridge chamber 38(FIG. 2). Since only the beveled forward portiont tla is in contact witha smaller diameter rifled portion 49 of the barrel 10, the case portion41 is held against forward movement into the rifled portion 4t) duringthe firing of the bullet portion 42. Since the intermediate portion 41bof the shell is of uniform diameter, there is no danger that there wouldbe any portion of this shell which would be out of contact with thecartridge chamber and which would permit side rupturing of the shell andjamming in the firearm.

The coil spring 30 abuts at one end against a ledge area 34 formed inthe hollowed interior of the frame portion 12 and at the other end on awidened portion 36 of the breech bolt. In this position, as indicated inFIG. 1, the breech bolt 32 has moved forwardly after picking up the topcartridge 22 and advancing it into the cartridge chamber 38. Thecartridge chamber is longitudinally elongated to a greater extent thanthe cartridge 22 and is in alignment with the rifled portion 4%) 0f thebarrel 10. The cartridge 22 is moved forwardly by the breech bolt 32until a forward edge of the shell case portion 41 of the cartridge 22abuts against the rifled portion of the barrel 10. The bullet headportion 42 of the cartridge 22 is made to a diameter suiiicient topermit its propulsion through the rifled portion 40 upon the firing ofthe cartridge.

In accordance with the invention, the pistol is fired by pullingbackwardly on a pivotally mounted trigger arm 43 which may be depressedbackwardly against the force of a small spring 44. The trigger isconnected through an arm 46 to a detent crank member 48 which is rockedabout its pivot 50 against the force of a spring 52 to become disengagedfrom the firing hammer 5 In the cocked position the firing hammer 54effects the compression of a spring 56 which is affixed to a rod member58 and biases the rod member in an upward direction. When the detentmember 48 is released from the hammer 54 the latter rotatescounterclockwise about its pivot 60, as viewed in FIG. 1, and strikes anelongated firing pin 62 which reciprocates within the breech bolt 32.The firing pin 62 is urged to the right, as viewed in FIG. 1, by a coilspring 64 which abuts against the widened portion of the pin in ahollowed interior portion of the breech bolt. Backward movement of thebreech bolt upon firing of the cartridge effects cocking of the hammer54 (see FIG. 3).

When the bullet is fired by the pointed striker portion 66 of the firingpin striking the cartridge 22, the bullet is propelled through therifled portion 40 of the barrel 10 and thereafter the force of theburning powder gas causes backward movement of the shell portion 41 tocause movement of the breech bolt 32 against the force of the spring 30.An ejector lever arm 6'7 is pivotally mounted at 68 on a portion of theframe 12 and has one arm biased outwardly by a spring 69 to causeanother arm to be urged against the breech bolt 32 (see FIG. 9). Whenthe breech bolt 32 is moved backwardly beyond the ejector lever arm 67,the arm which is biased against the breech bolt moves inwardly into thepath of the cartridge case and causes its ejection through an opening 70(see FIG. 7).

The breech bolt 32 is advantageously provided with finger grip members72 on each side which are mounted on bolts 74 which extend through anelongated slot 76 on each side of the frame 12 (FIGS. 4 and 5). Thefinger grips 72 may be manipulated to move the breech bolt 32 backwardlyagainst the force of the spring 30 for the purposes of effecting theinitial loading of a cartridge into the chamber 38. Normally, however,when the breech bolt 32 moves backwardly to the position indicated inFIG. 3, it deflects the hammer 54 downwardly into locking engagementwith the detent member 48. When the breech bolt moves beyond themagazine portion 16, a cartridge 22 is moved upwardly ahead of the boltand against the cartridge extractor hook 78. The extractor hook fitsaround the rim portion 41c during the entry and retraction of the breechbolt 32 in and out of the cartridge chamber 38. The cartridge 22 issecurely held by the extractor hook 78 when the cartridge is in a firingposition as indicated in FIG. 1. Expansion of the spring 30 causes thebreech bolt 32 to move the cartridge 22 into this position. When thetrigger is pulled the pin 62 strikes the cartridge to fire the pistoland the full force of the powder gas is imparted to the bullet head -12as the cartridge case is held by the barrel and the extractor hook 7%.After the bullet leaves the end of the gun the force of the powder actson the shell case portion 41 of the cartridge 22 to cause the breechbolt 32 to be reciprocated back- Wardly against the force of the spring343 and to accomplish ejection of the shell case, cocking of the pistoland repositioning of a fresh cartridge in the chamber upon its returnmovement.

Referring to FIGS. 1049 of the drawings, a second embodiment isdescribed, certain structural elements of which are identical with orclosely resembling those of the just described first embodiment. Forready correlation, these elements have the same numerical designation,with 1 (one hundred) added thereto.

The firearm of the second embodiment comprises a stationary barrelgenerally designated 11th which has a depending lug portion 111 adaptedto be press fitted into a frame portion, generally designated 112,having a pistol grip magazine handle generally designated 114. Thebarrel lug portion 111 has bores 111a (FIG. 18) adapte to take pins 113with which the barrel is secured to the frame portion 112; the lugportion 111 also has a bore 111b for a slide stop pin to be describedsomewhat later (see FIGS. and 14). A bushing 121 is interposed betweenthe latter and a slide assembly, generally designated 151 and to bedescribed in detail somewhat later (see FIG. 15).

This firearm uses the same cartridges 2?. shown in FIG. 8 and fullydescribed in connection with the first embodiment. The bullet headportion 42 and the shell case portion 41 of the cartridge, as well asthe front, central, rear and recessed portions 41a, 41b, 41c and 41d,respectively, of the case portion 41 are being shown in FIG. 10 againfor the sakeof correlation.

The handle portion 114 includes a magazine chamber 116, a followermember 118 and a biasing coil spring 1213 for the follower, which aresubstantially identical in their function to the respective elements 16,18 and 2t) of the previous embodiment. The cartridges are loaded throughan enlarged window opening 124 (FIG. 17) which, in this case is providedon the opposite side of the pistol from that shown in FIGS. 19, 13 and14. A depressing member or retractor grip 126 and an elongated slot 128are provided on the same side as the opening 124 (see also FIG. 16) andtheir operation is very much like that described earlier for elements 26and 28. Some other elements have been omitted for the sake of clarity.

The store-mentioned slide assembly 151 is reciprocable with respect tothe frame portion 112. FIGS. 11 and 14 illustrate the respective normaland recoiled positions. A1 elongated cylindrical breach bolt generallydesignated 133 is held by the top rear portion of the slide assembly151. The breach bolt has a forwardly extension 13-5 adapted to protrudeinto a cartridge chamber 13% (FIG. 19) similar to chamber 38 of FIG. 2.The chamber 138 is longitudinally elongated to a greater extent than thecartridge 22 and is in alignment with a rifled portion 14-0 of thebarrel 111). An extractor hook 173 is secured to the forward end of thebreech bolt 133 and is adapted to enter the chamber 133, the same way ashook '73 enters chamber 38.

An elongated firing pin 162 is reciprocable within the breech bolt 133.The firing pin is urged to the right, as viewed in FIG. 10, by a coilspring 164 which abuts against the widened portion of the pin in ahollowed interior portion of the breech bolt. After insertion of thefiring pin 162 into the interior of the breech bolt 133 or firing pinwell from the front, a plate 137 is applied to the forward extension 135of the bolt. A pointed striker portion 166 of the firing pin is adaptedto prot5 trade through a bore of the plate 137 (P16. 12). At the rear ofthe bolt 133, a stop 139 is applied in a manner known in the art.

Just forwardly of the barrel lug 111, the frame portion 112 has anupright member 115 attached thereto, into which a plug 117 is securedfor a recoil spring 131 the forward end of which rests against thebottom front portion of the slide assembly 151 (see FIGS. 11 and 14).

FIG. 13 illustrates a slide stop 15''? secured to pin 159. Thisconventional element, as well as the safety lock shown in this figure,and the mechanism related thereto, need not be explained in detail anddoes not form the subject matter of the present invention.

The second embodiment of the inventive firearm features a novel ejectionport 17%? arranged on the same side of the pistol as the loading opening124 and the slot 128 for the retractor grip 126 (FIGS. 17 and 19).

A scar and disconnector assembly is generally designated 161 (FIG. 14);a trigger arm is shown at 143; a firing hammer is indicated at 154; andsome of the associated elements, e.g. 144, 143, 151i and 161) are alsoillustrated which resemble in their operation that of the correspondingelements 44, 48, 5t) and as. It is deemed unnecessary to go into detailsof these conventional elements of the second embodiment.

The operation of the second embodiment is somewhat different from thatof the first-described alternative. The cartridge chamber 133 is loadedwhen the slide assembly 151 moves forward, stripping the top cartridge22 from the magazine chamber 116 and pushing it into the chamber 138.The hammer 154 is in the cocked position and the pistol is ready to befired.

Each time a cartridge is fired, the slide 151 recoils and extracts,during its rearward motion, the cartridge case 41 from the chamber 131;and ejects it from the firearm through the opening 170. During rearwardmovement, the magazine 116 feeds another cartridge 22, the recoil spring131 is compressed, and the hammer 154 is cocked. At the termination ofthe rearward movement of the slide 151, the recoil spring expands andforces the slide forward, and the cycle of operation continues until thelast cartridge in the magazine is expended. In this event, the magazinespring 121 exerts upward pressure on the follower member 118 whichstrikes the slide stop 157 and raises it, forcing the latter to engagein a recess (see FIG. 13) at the lateral edge of the frontal slideportion and holding the slide assembly 151 in the rear position. Thisindicates that the magazine 1 16 is empty.

Feeding of a cartridge 22 toward the chamber 133 takes place along astraight line as the slide 151 moves forward. The expanding magazinespring 129 forces the follower 11% and the cartridges 22 up until thetop cartridge is held by the magazine lips (FIG. 14), ready forchambering.

At the termination of the rearward movement of the slide 151 theexpanding recoil spring 131 forces the slide forward. The lower portionof the face of the slide passes between the lips of the magazine 1 16,and pushes a cartridge to the chamfered rear face of, and thence into,the chamber 138. At this time, the extractor hook 178 enters therecessed portion 41d of the cartridge case 41. Chambering is completewhen the cartridge is completely seated in the chamber 138, and thebreech bolt extension 135 has entered the rear end of said chamber.

When the trigger 143 is squeezed, upon having first pressed inward theconventional grip safety (FIGS. 10 and 14), the movement is transmittedto the sear assembly 161. A spring pushes the hammer strut up, forcingthe hammer 154 to rotate forward on its pivot 16d and strike the rearend of the firing pin 162. The inertiatype pin travels forward,compressing the firing pin spring 164. The firing pin striker res movesthrough the plate 137 in the face of the breech bolt 133 and strikes thecartridge primer. This fires the cartridge. The firing pin spring 164expands and withdraws the pm 162 from the face of the breech boltextension 135.

The resistance of the recoil spring and the weight of the slide beingmuch greater than the weight of the bullet, these parts react to theexpanding powder gas forces more slowly than the bullet. After thebullet has left the barrel 110, the slide 151 starts moving backward.The extractor 178, engaged in the portion 41d of the cartridge case,withdraws the latter from the chamber 1138. The case 41 is held againstthe face of the breech bolt extension 135 by the extractor hook 178. Itstrikes the ejector, pivots on the extractor, and is ejected from thepistol at 170.

Cocking begins as the slide 151 starts rearward in recoil. At this time,the firing pin stop pushes the hammer 154 rearward. As the slide movesforward, upon action of the expanding recoil spring, the hammer followsit for a short distance; then the sear, biased toward the hammer, entersan appropriate notch of the latter and holds it in the cocked position(FIG. 10)

As can be understood from the preceding description, the inventionprovides a very simple firearm construction which includes a breech boltwhich moves into and out of the cartridge chamber in order to rapidlyposition the cartridge therein for firing purposes, and thereafter torapidly eject the cartridge shell case and to move the next cartridgeinto position automatically. Since the barrel is stationary in bothembodiments, there is very little upward kick of the barrel duringfiring and the accuracy of the pistol is greatly enhanced.

Subject matter disclosed above has also been disclosed in part inapplications Serial No. 650,184 filed April 2, 1957 and Serial No.845,947 filed October 12, 1959, both now abandoned.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosurerelates only to preferred embodiments of the invention and that it isintended to cover all changes and modifications of the examplesdescribed which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scopeof the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A pistol for use with cartridges having a substantially uniformmaximum diameter case portion, comprising a frame, a barrel having arear portion integrally carrying a downwardly directed lug which has apress fit in a recessed portion of said frame and which is rigidly fixedto said frame by at least two cross pins extending through said lug andinto said frame so that said barrel is thereby rigidly connected to saidframe, said barrel including a rifled interior portion and a cartridgechamber portion in axial alignment therewith, said rifled portion beingof slightly smaller diameter than said case portion, said chamberportion being of greater elongation than said cartridges and having asubstantially uniform diameter accommodating said case portion, one ofsaid cartridges being lodged within said chamber portion when the pistolis ready to be discharged, a substantially cylindrical breech boltreciprocably mounted in said frame in axial alignment with said chamberportion and having an elongated forward portion of substantially uniformsmaller diameter adapted to extend into said chamber portion, a slideassembly axially reciprocable with respect to said frame, said breechbolt being secured to said slide assembly for reciprocation therewith,recoil spring means interposed between said slide assembly and saidframe for biasing said slide assembly and said breech bolt forwardlyinto a rest position in which said forward portion of the breech boltextends into said chamber portion for seating said one cartridge, asubstantially cylindrical firing pin concentrically lodged within anelongated recess of said breech bolt, a spring interposed between afrontal wall of said recess and a forward shoulder of said firing pinfor biasing the latter away from said chamber portion, tensionable andreleasable hammer means adapted to project said firing pin toward andinto contact with said one cartridge, whereby the latter is dischargedfrom the pistol, said firing pin being acted upon while said breech boltis in said rest position, said breech bolt including means to hold saidone cartridge during said discharge, the reciprocation of said breechbolt consisting of a primary rearward motion upon firing and explosionof said one cartridge, away from said rest position toward a momentaryextreme rearward position, followed by an immediate secondary forwardmotion toward said chamber portion, said hammer means being tensioned bysaid breech bolt during said primary rearward motion and manuallyreleasable by the operator of the pistol.

2. A pistol according to claim 1, further including an ejector on saidframe, means for urging said ejector against said breech bolt, saidframe having a lateral opening adjacent said ejector, whereby saidprimary rearward motion of said breech bolt is eifective to dislodge thecase portion of said one cartridge through said opening, said slideassembly being formed with :an ejection port which during said primaryrearward motion of said breech bolt becomes aligned with said lateralopening, so that the case portion of said one cartridge will pass firstthrough said opening and then through said port.

3. A pistol according to claim 1, further including an extractorhoolcfor engaging the case portion of said one cartridge in said restposition of the breech bolt.

4. A pistol according to claim 1, further including a cartridge magazinein said frame below said breech bolt and means for urging at least twocartridges toward said breech bolt and for maintaining said twocartridges in a substantially ali ned position with said breech bolt,whereby said primary rearward motion of the breech bolt beyond the rearend of said magazine permits said cartridge urging means to directlyposition said one cartridge in alignment with said chamber portion, andwhereby said secondary forward motion of the breech bolt causes thelatter to force said one cartridge into said chamber portion.

5. A pistol according to claim 4, wherein said frame includes a hollowpistol grip handle forming said magazine, a cartridge plate in saidmagazine for supporting said cartridges, means for urging said cartridgeplate toward said breech bolt to align said two cartridges with rrespect thereto, said handle having an elongated slot extending alongits side with an upper enlarged section larger than said cartridges formanually loading the latter into said magazine, said cartridge plateincluding a portion extending outwardly through said slot to permitmanually to depress said cartridge plate for insertion of saidcartridges.

6. A pistol according to claim 4, wherein a slide stop means isoperatively connected to one of said cross pins for movement to aposition engaging and arresting said slide assembly substantially at theend of its primary rearward motion away from said rest position toprevent return of said slide assembly .to said rest position thereof,said cartridge urging means engaging said slide stop means to move thelatter to said position arresting said slide assembly and breech bolttherewith when the last cartridge has been displaced from said magazine,so that the operator knows, when the slide assembly is arrested rear-Wardly'from said rest position, that the magazine is empty.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 350,565 10/86Schoening 42-7 454,993 6/91 Catlin 42-.16 962,137 6/ 10 Gates 42-251,144,285 6/15 Becker 42--25 1,351,370 8/20 Chase 427 1,382,680 6/21Searle 4225 1,702,063 2/29 Swebilius 42-25 2,090,657 8/37 Williamsv4275.2

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner. FRED C. MATTERN, IR., Examiner.

1. A PISTOL FOR USE WITH CARTRIDGES HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORMMAXIMUM DIAMETER CASE PORTION, COMPRISING A FRAME, A BARREL HAVING AREAR PORTION INTEGRALLY CARRYING A DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED LUG WHICH HAS APRESS FIT IN A RECESSED PORTION OF SAID FRAME AND WHICH IS RIGIDLY FIXEDTO SAID FRAME BY AT LEAST TWO CROSS PINS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID LUG ANDINTO SAID FRAME SO THAT SAID BARREL IS THEREBY RIGIDLY CONNECTED TO SAIDFRAME, SAID BARREL INCLUDING A RIFLED INTERIOR PORTION AND A CARTRIDGECHAMBER PORTION IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT THEREWITH, SAID RIFLED PORTION BEINGOF SLIGHTLY SMALLER DIAMETER THAN SAID CASE PORTION, SAID CHAMBERPORTION BEING OF GREATER ELONGATION THAN SAID CARTRIDGES AND HAVING ASUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM DIAMETER ACCOMMODATING SAID CASE PORTION, ONE OFSAID CARTRIDGES BEING LODGED WITHIN SAID CHAMBER PORTION WHEN THE PISTOLIS READY TO BE DISCHARGED, A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL BREECH BOLTRECIPROCABLY MOUNTED IN SAID FRAME IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID CHAMBERPORTION AND HAVING AN ELONGATED FORWARD PORTION OF SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORMSMALLER DIAMETER ADAPTED TO EXTEND INTO SAID CHAMBER PORTION, A SLIDEASSEMBLY AXIALLY RECIPROCABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID FRME, SAID BREECHBOLT BEING SECURED TO SAID SLIDE ASSEMBLY FOR RECIPROCATION THEREWITH,RECOIL SPRING MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID SLIDE ASSEMBLY AND SAIDFRAME FOR BIASING SAID SLIDE ASSEMBLY AND SAID BREECH BOLT FORWARDLYINTO A REST POSITION IN WHICH SAID FORWARD PORTION OF THE BREECH BOLTEXTENDS INTO SAID CHAMBER PORTION FOR SEATING SAID ONE CARTRIDGE, ASUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL FIRING PIN CONCENTRICALLY LODGED WITHIN ANELONGGATED RECESS OF SAID BREECH BOLT, A SPRING INTERPOSED BETWEEN AFRONTAL WALL OF SAID RECESS AND FORWARD SHOULDER OF SAID FIRING PIN FORBIASING THE LATTER AWAY FROM SAID CHAMBER PORTION, TENSIONABLE ANDRELEASABLE HAMMER MEANS ADAPTED TO PROJECT SAID FIRING PIN TOWARD ANDINTO CONTACT WITH SAID ONE CARTRIDGE, WHEREBY THE LATTER IS DISCHARGEDFROMTHE PISTOL, SAID FIRING PIN BEING ACTED UPON WHILE SAID BREECH BOLTIS IN SAID REST POSITION, SAID BREECH BOLT INCLUDING MEANS TO HOLD SAIDONE CARTRIDGE DURING SAID DISCHARGE, THE RECIPROCATION OF SAID BREECHBOLT CONSISTING OF A PRIMARY REARWARD MOTION UPONM FIRING AND EXPLOSIONOF SAID ONE CARTRIDGE, AWAY FOM SAID REST POSITION TOWARD A MOMENTARYEXTREME REARWARD POSITION, FOLLOWED BY AN IMMEDIATE SECONDARY FORWARDMOTION TOWARD SAID CHAMBER PORTION, SAID HAMMER MEANS BEING TENSIONED BYSAID BREECH BOLT DURING SAID PRIMARY REARWARD MOTION AND MANUALLYRELEASABLE BY THE OPRATOR OF THE PISTOL